If this comment looks familiar, it’s because I originally posted it on the Wakefield Theatre page after misreading the Wakefield’s location on the Google map as 224th street (it’s at 234th Street.)

Seymour Joseph, currently listed as the architect of the Laconia, was born in 1914, so he must have been the architect for a later remodeling of the house. I’ve been unable to find out anything about J.W. Telson, credited as the original architect by The Film Daily.

I had completely forgotten about the Laconia, until this Website inspired this old geezer to reminisce about my movies of yore. When I was a kid, during and after World War II (until 1951 or so, when I went away to College), I explored all the theaters anywhere near “Wakefield” — the Kent (my “neighborhood” movie, over in Woodlawn), the Wakefield (the best of all!), the Craft (OK), the Kimball (up on Yonkers Avenue; also OK); and, when I felt like taking a long walk, the Laconia. The last usually wasn’t worth the walk. In my dotage, I can’t remember why I deemed it the pits; but, I did.